Jamie Stewart

James Stewart (born March 2, 1978) is an American musician and writer best known for theirEfn|Stewart uses they/them pronouns. Stewart was in several bands before Xiu Xiu; while in school, they played in a parody band and a Bauhaus cover band. After high school, they played bass in a group with guitarist Kenny Lyon and members from bands such as Devo, Geza X, The Screamers, and Sparks. Stewart has said that this experience was particularly formative for their career, but they did not realize this at the time. They later quit the band and moved home to attend college.

At home, Stewart briefly played in several other bands before being kicked out, and a high school friend suggested that they start their own band, which became Indestructible Beat of Palo Alto (IBOPA).

Personal life Stewart is openly bisexual, has identified as queer, and uses they/them pronouns. Their uncle is John Coburn Stewart.

Stewart's father and uncle were both musicians and songwriters: Michael was the co-founder and guitarist of 1960s folk-rock group We Five and a music producer. John was a former member of folk/pop music group The Kingston Trio, largely credited with helping launch the folk music revival of the late 1950s to the late 1960s, and later found success as a singer-songwriter; he is perhaps best known as the songwriter of The Monkees' 1967 No. 1 hit "Daydream Believer". "Mike", the closing track from Xiu Xiu's 2004 album Fabulous Muscles, concerns Jamie's reaction to their father's suicide in 2002.

Stewart has, on multiple occasions, referred to bandmate Angela Seo as their "best friend".